A think-tank report (written by a former adviser to the Prime Minister) said that the inequality agenda needed to be at the heart of 'next generation' Labour. A clearer vision of a more equal society was needed to inspire voters.
Source: Patrick Diamond, Equality Now: The future of revisionism, Fabian Society (020 7227 4900)
Links: Report | Fabian Society press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Dec
A report said that average family incomes in the richest districts of the south of England were five times higher than in the poorest areas of the north, based on an analysis of the relative wealth of every postcode area.
Source: Wealth of the Nation 2005, CACI Information Solutions (020 7602 6000)
Links: Summary | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Nov
A survey found that the annual pay and bonuses of directors employed by the largest 350 companies increased by an average 18.1 per cent in 2004-05.
Source: Directors Pay Report 2005, Incomes Data Services (020 7324 2599)
Links: Summary
Date: 2005-Nov
A report said that there were 327,000 jobs in the spring of 2005 with pay less than the national minimum wage held by people aged 16 or over. This constituted 1.3 per cent of United Kingdom jobs.
Source: Low Pay Estimates: Spring 2005, Office for National Statistics (0845 601 3034)
Links: Report
Date: 2005-Nov
A report said that pupils from less well-off backgrounds were significantly under-represented at the top 200 state secondary schools in England.
Source: Rates of Eligibility for Free School Meals at the Top State Schools, Sutton Trust (020 8788 3223)
Links: Report (pdf) | Children Now report | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Oct
A new book examined the concept of human dignity in the context of public welfare systems. It formulated a framework for evaluating the dignity of welfare recipients; and then used this framework to explore the dignity of unemployed persons in four different welfare systems, including the United Kingdom.
Source: Chak Kwan Chan and Graham Bowpitt, Human Dignity and Welfare Systems, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2005-Oct
A report said that there was a gap between government rhetoric on health inequalities and the reality. Society continued to be modelled on the needs of competitive, entrepreneurial, educated, white people in middle England - at the expense of health and well-being.
Source: UK Health Watch 2005: The experience of health in an unequal society, Politics of Health Group (contact@pohg.org.uk)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Oct
An article said that family income was an important factor in children's school attainment, even after controlling for parental ability. This implied that high-ability children in low-income families faced "binding credit constraints" that society might wish to relieve.
Source: Erik Plug and Wim Vijverberg, 'Does family income matter for schooling outcomes? Using adoptees as a natural experiment', Economic Journal, October 2005, Royal Economic Society (0117 983 9770)
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Oct
The government published the seventh annual report on action to tackle poverty and social exclusion. For the first time the publication contained a chapter on women s position relative to men: it looked at areas of social, professional and economic life, and described the financial and social status of women in the 21st century.
Source: Opportunity for All: Seventh Annual Report 2005, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7962 8176)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | DWP press release
Date: 2005-Oct
An article examined trends in poor neighbourhoods, using 1991 and 2001 Census data. Deprived neighbourhoods made substantial progress on indicators of work, education and home ownership: but negative trends in population, health and lone parenthood tempered those improvements. Moreover, there were disparate trends within and across regions.
Source: Ruth Lupton and Alan Berube, 'Poor neighbourhoods in the 1990s: better or worse? An analysis of 1991 and 2001 UK Census data', Benefits, Volume 13 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Oct
A study looked at the geographical relationship between poverty, affluence and area under five key themes, using data from the 2001 Census. Poor people with the greatest need for good healthcare, education, jobs, housing and transport continued to have the worst access to opportunities and services.
Source: Ben Wheeler, Mary Shaw, Richard Mitchell and Daniel Dorling, Life in Britain: Using Millennial Census data to understand poverty, inequality and place, Policy Press for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: JRF Findings 0425 | JRF press release | CPAG press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Sep
The average pay package of a 'FTSE 100' (large company) chief executive reached 1.8 million in 2004, 18 per cent up on the previous year.
Source: Press release 22 September 2005, KPMG (020 7311 1000)
Links: KPMG press release
Date: 2005-Sep
The government published an independent progress report on action against health inequalities since 2003. Progress had been made on child poverty and improving housing: but the inequality gap - measured by infant mortality and life expectancy - had increased.
Source: Tackling Health Inequalities: Status report on the programme for action, Department of Health (08701 555455)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | NHS Alliance press release | Community Care report
Date: 2005-Aug
A report presented information on social inequalities in education, work, income, living standards, health, and participation. It considered advantaged and disadvantaged people, and explored the differences between them.
Source: Penny Babb, Jean Martin and Paul Haezewindt (eds.), Focus on Social Inequalities: 2004 edition, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2005-Aug
A report analyzed the movements around the income distribution by individuals over the period 1991-2003 (using data from the longitudinal British Household Panel Survey), and examined the extent to which individuals living in low-income households were persistently experiencing low income. Between 1991 and 2003, there was considerable income mobility: less than 5 per cent of the population remained in the same quintile of the income distribution for the whole of the period.
Source: Low-Income Dynamics 1991-2003, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7962 8232)
Links: Report (pdf) | DWP press release (pdf)
Date: 2005-Aug
A paper examined the relationship between social inequality and patterns of cultural taste and consumption.
Source: Tak Wing Chan and John Goldthorpe, The Social Stratification of Theatre, Dance and Cinema Attendance, Working Paper 2005-04, Department of Sociology/University of Oxford (01865 86170)
Links: Paper (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jul
A new book said that poorer countries with fairer wealth distribution were healthier and happier than richer, more unequal nations.
Source: Richard Wilkinson, The Impact of Inequality: How to make sick societies healthier, Routledge (01264 343071)
Links: Guardian review
Date: 2005-Jul
The government published a background paper which considered whether the social class gap in attainment had narrowed in primary schools. It said that improvements in the more deprived schools had not led to a narrowing of the gap at pupil level.
Source: Education and Social Progress: Has the social class gap narrowed in primary schools?, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Background paper (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jul
An article examined how taxes and benefits redistributed income between various groups of households in 2003-04.
Source: Francis Jones, 'The effects of taxes and benefits on household income, 2003?04', Economic Trends, July 2005, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf) | ONS press release (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jul
A new book said that gaps between the housing rich and poor were increasingly the reason behind social inequalities.
Source: The Great Divide, Shelter (020 7505 4699)
Links: Shelter press release
Date: 2005-Jul
An article disputed the notion of a link between decline in support for welfare and growing ethnic diversity.
Source: Adrian Barton and Nick Johns, 'Pragmatism and the third way: an open door for new racism?', Social Policy and Society, Volume 4 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Jul
A cross-cutting report summarized activity across all Welsh Assembly Government departments that contributed to social justice in Wales.
Source: Social Justice Report 2005, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jul
A book chapter critically examined efforts by Labour governments since 1997 to re-organize the welfare state, focusing on the interface with the labour market.
Source: Daniel Clegg, 'New Labour: A rootless third way: a continental European perspective on New Labour's welfare state, revisited', Social Policy Review 17: Analysis and debate in social policy, 2005, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Table of contents
Date: 2005-Jun
A book chapter said that Labour governments since 1997 had put egalitarian policy-making back on the political agenda.
Source: Stephen Driver, 'Welfare after Thatcherism: New Labour and social democratic politics', Social Policy Review 17: Analysis and debate in social policy, 2005, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Table of contents
Date: 2005-Jun
A new book offered an account of the dynamic and multi-faceted nature of contemporary inequality. It said that there was a viable future for a left-of-centre politics anchored in egalitarian values, but that it required a break with some core assumptions of the past.
Source: Anthony Giddens and Patrick Diamond (eds.), The New Egalitarianism, Polity Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Jun
A journal issue examined the record of the Labour governments since 1997 in the area of poverty and social security policy.
Source: Benefits, Volume 13 Issue 2
Links: Table of contents
Date: 2005-Jun
A think-tank book argued for a distinctively British road to social justice - combining US-style economic dynamism with the social equity of Scandinavia. Social justice should be pursued through open and competitive product markets and a lightly regulated labour market, alongside stronger universal public services and a more redistributive tax and benefits system.
Source: Nick Pearce and Will Paxton (eds.), Social Justice: Building a Fairer Britain, Institute for Public Policy Research and Politico?s, available from Central Books (0845 458 9911)
Links: Summary | IPPR press release
Date: 2005-Jun
A book chapter examined social security and welfare reform under the Labour governments since 1997.
Source: Peter Kemp, 'Social security and welfare reform under New Labour', Social Policy Review 17: Analysis and debate in social policy, 2005, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Table of contents
Date: 2005-Jun
A discussion examined the role of equality - both economic equality and equality of opportunity - in generating trust within society.
Source: Bo Rothstein and Eric Uslaner, All for All: Equality and social trust, Discussion Paper 15, LSE Health and Social Care/London School of Economics (020 7955 6840)
Links: Discussion paper (pdf)
Date: 2005-May
A think-tank paper (by a former leader of the opposition Conservative Party) set out a programme for promoting social justice. It said that the Conservatives had lost their reputation for competence, but had still not acquired a reputation for compassion.
Source: Iain Duncan Smith with Danny Kruger, Good For Me, Good For My Neighbour: The Conservative way to social justice, Centre for Social Justice (020 7620 1120)
Links: Paper (pdf)
Date: 2005-May
An article said that inequalities in life expectancy had continued to widen in the early years of the 21st century. Life expectancy had risen in the most advantaged areas of the country at a greater pace than in the poorest areas.
Source: Mary Shaw, George Davey Smith and Danny Dorling, 'Health inequalities and New Labour: how the promises compare with real progress', British Medical Journal, 30 April 2005
Links: Abstract | BMJ press release
Date: 2005-Apr
A paper represented the results of a small-scale qualitative study, exploring public perceptions of the redistributive effects of taxation and public spending. People did not appear to be primarily motivated by concerns about making incomes more equal, but rather that the system should help them when they needed it, and that everyone contributed according to their means.
Source: Alan Hedges, Perceptions of Redistribution: Report on exploratory qualitative research, CASEpaper 96, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion/London School of Economics (020 7955 6679)
Links: Paper (pdf) | Abstract
Date: 2005-Apr
A briefing note said that relative poverty had fallen amongst pensioners and children under Labour. In 2003 04, there were 700,000 fewer children in poverty than in 1996 97 on one of the government s most commonly used poverty measures, cutting the proportion of children in poverty from 33 per cent to 28 per cent. On the same measure, there were also about 800,000 fewer poor pensioners in 2003 04 than in 1996 97, cutting the proportion in poverty from 28 per cent to 20 per cent. By contrast, poverty had risen slightly among working-age adults without children.
Source: Mike Brewer, Alissa Goodman, Jonathan Shaw and Andrew Shephard, Living Standards, Inequality and Poverty, Election Briefing Note 9, Institute for Fiscal Studies (web publication only)
Links: Briefing Note (pdf)
Date: 2005-Apr
A think-tank report examined ways in which it would be possible to build upon a common sense in which the values of equality, solidarity, and social justice prevailed.
Source: Douglas Alexander MP, Telling it Like it Could Be: The moral force of progressive politics, Smith Institute (020 7592 3618)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Mar
Statistics were published on households in Great Britain below average income, for the period 1994-95 to 2003-04. There was significant income growth, in real terms, at the lower end of the income distribution between 1994-95 and 2003-04, and between 1996-97 and 2003-04. Between 1996-97 and 2003-04 the median income of the bottom 20 per cent of the population grew by 19 per cent in real terms (before housing costs - 25 per cent after housing costs). Relative pensioner poverty had fallen by a quarter, or by 700,000, since 1996-97, with a 300,000 fall in 2003-04 the biggest decline since the series began. Relative child poverty had fallen another 100,000 in 2003-04, and was 700,000 lower than in 1996-97.
Source: Households Below Average Income: 1994/5 to 2003/04, CDS (0113 399 4040) for Department for Work and Pensions | Mike Brewer, Alissa Goodman, Jonathan Shaw and Andrew Shephard, Poverty and Inequality in Britain: 2005, Commentary 99, Institute for Fiscal Studies (020 7291 4800)
Links: Report | DWP statistical press release (pdf) | DWP press release | IFS report (pdf) | IFS summary (pdf) | IFS press notice (pdf) | CPAG press release | CPAG Briefing Note (Word file) | Age Concern press release | Help the Aged press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Mar
A report recommended an increase in the national minimum wage to 5.05 per hour from October 2005, and that workers aged 21 or over should receive the adult rate. Overall there was little evidence that the minimum wage had had any impact on profits, at the macroeconomic level; nor had it significantly affected prices or overall productivity. The government announced that it accepted the main recommendations. The adult rate would increase from 4.85 to 5.05 an hour in October 2005 - in line with average earnings - with a further 6 per cent increase to 5.35 in October 2006.
Source: National Minimum Wage: Low Pay Commission Report 2005, Cm 6475, Low Pay Commission/Department for Trade and Industry, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 25 February 2005, columns 71-72WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary | Hansard | DTI press release | CPAG press release | CIPD press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Feb
A report (by a government think-tank) provided an overview of progress since 1997 across the whole range of social and economic policies, and of the outstanding and emerging challenges. It said that substantial and sustained progress across the economy and public sector was breaking down barriers to essential opportunities for all. Many of the key measures of performance were going in the right direction, and the country could use this progress as a platform for further gains. Long-running and structural challenges included meeting demand on transport infrastructure, ensuring enough houses were built, getting the economically inactive back to work, and improving the opportunities available to the poorest households.
Source: Strategic Audit: Progress and challenges for the UK, Strategy Unit/Cabinet Office (020 7276 1881)
Links: Report (pdf) | SU press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Feb
The major Christian Churches in Britain and Ireland launched a discussion document which called for joined-up thinking on social justice. The fundamental principle of 'nobody left behind' demanded a new and wider sense of solidarity, together with a deep renewal of civil society.
Source: Prosperity with a Purpose: Christians and the ethics of affluence, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (01733 325002)
Links: CTBI press release
Date: 2005-Feb
A think-tank paper summarized knowledge about public attitudes on social justice issues. It focused on the 'social minimum' and attitudes to income poverty, fair distribution, and the emerging policy debate about childcare as it related to a concern for equality of opportunity. Most people believed that lone parents should be first in line for government subsidies for childcare and wages: but they also supported measures to encourage lone mothers with school-aged children to take jobs by placing conditions on their benefits.
Source: Peter Taylor-Gooby, Attitudes to Social Justice, Institute for Public Policy Research (020 7470 6100)
Links: Report (pdf) | IPPR press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Feb
An article said that since the 1980s there had been three influential attempts to ground citizenship on the principles of duty, obligation and responsibility: conservative, communitarian and 'third way'. It examined the emergence of a fourth approach, which, by relating duty to equality through the principle of reciprocity, represented a synthesis of traditional social democracy with the new politics of obligation.
Source: Tony Fitzpatrick, 'The fourth attempt to construct a politics of welfare obligations', Policy & Politics, Volume 33 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Jan